Not sure if this is the correct area for this post, please move if so needed.

While reading through a discussion in regards to the 2012 release rumors, I stumbled upon an arguement over how each Gen has it's differing appeal to different individuals. I recently decided to keep and restore my '95 Z28, and to purchase a '12 next year. It got me thinking, do any members on here have "complete" Gen collections (in this case comprising of at least one vehicle from each model generation)?

I love my 4th Gen, and as such most of my focus goes into her, I'm not as familiar with the earlier generations. She needs some work. Sun-cracked dash, a few under-chassis rust spots, etc. I'm envisioning that the 30-40k price tag on a '12 Z28 (again...just the rumored Z28) would be the most cumbersome step to creating a 1-5 collection, but that may just be naivety. I won't really baby my cars, I like to drive and they'll get driven a lot. I also imagine it will take me a number of years to purchase the other three vehicles.

I would be really interested to hear from someone who has a collection consisiting of all generations or just general opinion: if it's really worth the time and investment, what its like to find/restore an older gen to good condition, etc. Thanks guys.

 

I currently have two first gens (1967s) and a 4th gen (1995). I plan to purchase a '12 next year as well. I previously owned another first gen ('68 RS) an have always favored them above all others. While I've never owned a 2nd or 3rd gen, I have friends and family who have, so I've been around all the previous generations. I once had a dream of owning one from each at the same time, but alas, I just don't have the room nor financial means. Perhaps one day I'll at least be able to purchase a 2nd and 3rd gen and hold on to them for a short while so I can at least say I at one time owned one from each generation. That'll be difficult to pull off with the wife.

FWIW, the most cumbersome step, assuming you want restored pieces to your collection will be the first gen, especially if you want a first gen Z28. Most numbers matching restored early Z28s will set you back more than a new one. And if you're like me and dream to own a "real" first year Z28? You can expect to pay Corvette ZR1 prices to even get a sniff at owning one... assuming you can find someone willing to sell. With only 602 total production and less than half of them known to have survived, that might be extremely difficult.

Best of luck!

 

Im not really sure what you intend to do with this "collection" or what you are planning to add to it.

You mention adding the new Z28 being the most cumbersome. Like jg95z28 mentioned that depends on what youre adding from the other generations. Do you need a numbers matching 1st gen for example when youre not going to "baby" it. The first gen cars to me are awesome. At the same time though they take some care. As beautiful as a first gen is, the rear is just sheetmetal so its very important you check to see what condition the body is in. The trunks are notorious for rusting. We are talking about a 40 year old car with 40 year old technology.

If I bought another 69 Camaro which is one of my favorite cars, I wouldnt do it without a garage to make sure the rain doesnt get through the trunk and windshield. I would look for non numbers matching or no engine so I could make it whatever I wanted. Probably a LS3 or the engine that replaces it with street suspension. my personal taste I prefer the regular 69 lights to RS.

The second Gen is almost two seperate generations. That is the 70-73 and the 74-81 You should see what you like.


Is it worth it? I certainly advise against going out and buying one from each generation tomorrow and figuring out what to do from there. Look at another generation that youd like to try most and decide if youre willing to put the time and or money into it and go from there.

 

If you love Camaros, like myself and many others, I think it would be neat/cool to have one from every generation. That's what I'd like to do and I currently have a 1976 Camaro (my old high school car), a 1989 IROC-Z28, and a 1995 Z28 convertible. Buying a 5th-gen in the next couple of years....

 

I wanted to make another post, because I wasnt clear about one of the lessons I learned the HARD way. Also I highlighted something in jg95z28's post which is very important.

Be realistic and flexible in your goal to meet reality. My goal was to go after a 1969 Camaro at all costs and turn it into my dream road handling car while maintaining the standard look mostly. Well I did just that. At least the FIRST step. I havent checked the markets lately but 69's were expensive around 2004 when I bought mine. When I saw the car on the side of the road it looked decent with a little trunk rust. The price was 8500 from a guy who restored only 1969 camaros, so when I saw his collection of my favorite camaro I was sold. I took the car home at $8000, where it sat in my driveway for the most part for over a year. In addition to the trunk pan rust getting worse which also holds up the gas tank by the way, both rear 1/4s were aftermarket parts and in addition to being horribly done were rusted through in the bottom as well. I had to make a decision to throw the 10k I had saved in it and hope to get it where I wanted, while I was still living with my mother at the time or sell. There was another problem with my original idea I didnt realize until I went to sell this car. After ALOT of reasearch and being able to break down every digit of a 1969 Camaro, I found out this car was numbers matching. At least the 2bbl 350 motor was, the trans had been swapped in from a 1976 something or other at some point. I am not a collector but I wasnt willing to swap out a numbers matching car and destroy that set up for what I wanted even if I had gone through with it.

In the end I sold the car on Ebay for $9500 mentioning the numbers matching engine but that the trans was not. It looked like I made money but that went into insurance maintence, the car cover I bought for it etc. At least I can say I once owned a 69 camaro and got to drive and enjoy it a little bit, but it certainly wasnt how I planned.

Judging just by the pics, jg95z28's cars are in much better shape than the one I had and as mentioned in his post, he was much smarter than I was about it by adapting his plan due to money, garage space and maybe more significant what his wife will compromise on.

So I still say, get a reasonable idea of what A car would cost. What are the cost to get it where you would be happy with the car. Then act on it. You may find a particular car costs more to get to what you want it to be than you thought. If you get one car where you want it and still find you have the money to go after another do it! The last thing you want is a car from every gen... but only a couple are drivable, 1 or 2 on blocks and a small block hanging from a tree.

Im not telling you what to do other than a suggestion from my lesson learned running outside in a thunderstorm in winter in my boxers a coat and snow boots, I grabbed as I was trying to weigh down tarps so the rain didnt get in between the seals destroying what should have been my dream before I could sell the car and recoup my money mid auction on Ebay.

 

Pics can hide a lot of "issues" as can "new paint". Today I would never buy a first gen Camaro with a new paint job, unless it was fully restored by a professional and came with a guarantee.

FWIW, My blue 67 coupe is now referred to as "The Money Pit". I honestly will probably never sell it as I'll never get half the money I have into it back. At this point I've stopped counting. What started as a father/son project with a budget of $15k has blown up. We bought the car for $10k, painted as you've seen it. Started restoration of the interior, which included a color change from gold to black. Replaced the entire drivetrain and suspension. (The non-matching 327 went south after 6 months. We swapped in a crate 350 and while we were at it replaced the 3spd with a Tremec TKO-500. That meant we'd need to replace/rebuild the rear diff, and at that point the suspension needed replacement right?) It was my stepson's daily driver until he went to college, then it stayed "parked". Later my son let a buddy "move it" (without my knowledge) and he proceeded to plant the front into a curb and crawled it back home and never said anything. After rebuilding the entire front end again (including replacing the bent custom ordered Boyd Coddington 17s) within a week the motor started making funny noises on the bottom end. Ends up the friend must've pegged the tach when he planted it into the curb as the motor was toast and despite having less than 5000 miles was 2 months past the 2-year warranty and needed to be replaced. That was a couple years ago. Its now developed some rust issues in the typical rear spots (shouldn't have bought a vinyl top car), the heater core went out, and there's a leak somewhere in the cowl that dumps water in the passenger compartment. (And I never did finish the interior.) My current estimate of what I have into it is north of $50k. (As I said, I've stopped counting.)

More reasons why my primary daily driver Camaro remains stock.

 

Thanks for the info guys, much appreciated. A few responses:

What do I intend to do with it - Well, mostly drive them, keep them parked next to eachother, and tinker with them when I have free time. I understand that is a lofty goal and an expensive collection, nor do I have the funds or plans to go and acquire each car tomorrow. I'm 24, looking at buying the '12 next year, and just having some thoughts about what it would be like to build a collection over the next 20 or 30 years. In the end that may mean I would have to sell certain cars at certain points and may not own each gen all at the same time (although I shy away from that thought because I've never wanted to be the guy who says "My (insert year here) Camaro was a beauty, I can't believe I ever parted ways with her").

I suppose the real purpose behind such a collection would be as a hobby, something I love doing in my freetime. After just 3 years of owning and working on my '95 and doing some serious research into the 5th Gens, I have a deep love and respect for Camaro. I want to take it one step further and get to intimately know the earlier generations; I think the only way to really do so is to invest in them and own a piece of them. I like reading about the Yenkos and the significant improvements that the first model 3rd Gen had over the last model 2nd Gen, but none of that means anything to me until I can actually put my hands on it.

Numbers matching is a term I was unfamiliar with prior to this thread, but I understand the reference. If looking at say, a '69 Z, what do you guys think about trying to match numbers? I can appreciate a true original, but is there something to be said for taking out 40 50 or 60 year old technology and parts and dropping a crate engine in? Have any of you done such a thing and afterwards felt that it really defeated the purpose of owning a 1st Gen?

 

Numbers matching essentially means the engine, tranny, rear diff and all the components on the car were there as it left the factory. The "numbers" typically refer to VIN and partial VIN numbers stamped on major parts and in various locations on the car. In 1967 only the SS and Z28 engine got stamped with a partial VIN. However, non-performance versions like my 67 RS with the 210-hp 2-bbl 327 did include a manufacture date code and engine code which indicates when it was built and for which purpose. (As did the VIN stamped engines as well.) In my case, I also have the Protect-O-Plate, which has the matching engine code, thus determining the car is "numbers matching".

Close to numbers matching are "correct" cars, in which while the original engine or tranny may be long gone, a correctly coded replacement has been found and the date of manufacture is "correct" or within the time/range of being "correct" for that application. Parts like carbs, intakes, alternators, etc. are usually "correct" as they were never stamped with a partial VIN. In recent years, some sellers/collectors have also used the term "numbers matching" on cars that are only "correct" which has caused a lot of confusion in the industry. Re-stamping (in which someone fabricates the VIN or "code" to what it should have been) has become a huge problem in the hobby and sometimes can fool even the experts.

A numbers matching 69 Z/28 will always be worth more than a merely "correct" one. However a correct one is still worth much more than one which has a modern drivetrain in it. If you want the 69 Z/28 look with a modern drivetrain, I suggest start with a clean "Plain Jane" Camaro that's missing its original drivetrain and dress it up to look like a Z/28 and then you can put any engine/tranny combination you want, save money and not do anything to harm the value of a potential collector car. That's what I've done with my 67 blue coupe.

 

Precisely! And that is partly why I didnt want to pull that numbers matching engine. Well it made the decision easier.

If you want a 69 with a modern drive train, build a plain jane one to your liking. Dont waste more money to get a numbers matching untouched car and ruin the car for someone who is looking for just that.

 

id like to eventually have 1 of each generation. there is a certain year of every generation that i love. i really want a 69 with the rs package as my next investment. after i get a bigger garage, id like to get my 4th gen back. but not a v6 this time. probably a 01 z28.